The Best Brow Pencils and Kits for Fuller, More Defined Arches

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The right brow pencil is a makeup bag and desert island essential. Eyebrows frame the face, so getting them filled in properly is a first step in enhancing facial features. A rule of thumb is that thin pencils create natural, hair-like strokes to fill in sparse brows and to define any brow shape, while those with a thicker, angled tip are a quicker fix to shade in smaller gaps, cover grays, or add a natural sweep of color.

Related: The 13 Best Hair Growth Products for Tresses, Lashes and Brows

More from The Hollywood Reporter

We rounded up top picks and new kits from the beauty brands of Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Halsey and Rihanna as well as Hollywood eyebrow specialists and brands favored by stars and their makeup artists. Ahead, shop some of the best eyebrow pencils for sparse brows, waterproof and smudgeproof options, all-in-one sets and more.

1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Natural & Polished Deluxe Kit

BEST BROW KIT OVERALL

Beverly Hills brow guru Anastasia Soare has counted Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lopez Affleck, Oprah Winfrey and Amal Clooney as clients.  Available in five shades, this new kit contains her two pro brow pencils to define and shade, plus clear brow gel to set the look. The two pencils can also be purchased individually in a dozen colors.

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: Anastasia Beverly Hills | Nordstrom

Anastasia Beverly Hills Natural & Polished Deluxe Kit
Anastasia Beverly Hills Natural & Polished Deluxe Kit

Anastasia Beverly Hills Natural & Polished Deluxe Kit $39

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2. Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Fiber Pencil

BEST VOLUMIZING PENCIL

Uniquely infused with tiny fibers that adhere to the brows to pump up volume, Benefit’s brand-new waterproof Gimme Brow+ volumizing pencil comes in 12 colors. Nina Dobrev, Natalia Dyer and Kehlani have spoken out about using Benefit brow products.

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: Benefit | Nordstrom | Sephora | Ulta

Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Pencil
Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Pencil

Benefit Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Pencil $25

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3. Charlotte Tilbury Brow Cheat Refillable Eyebrow Pencil

BEST PENCIL OVERALL

Long-time celeb makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury’s range of stellar brow products includes this waterproof Brow Cheat eyebrow pencil with a pointed tip in eight shades. It has been worn by Lizzo on the red carpet and is also a pick of Ashley Tisdale and Phoebe Dynevor.

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: Charlotte Tilbury | Nordstrom | Revolve | Sephora

Charlotte Tilbury Brow Cheat Eyebrow Pencil
Charlotte Tilbury Brow Cheat Eyebrow Pencil

Charlotte Tilbury Brow Cheat Eyebrow Pencil $25

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4. Fenty Beauty Brow MVP Ultra Fine Brow Pencil & Styler

BEST VARIETY OF SHADES

Rihanna’s hero MVP Ultra Fine Brow Pencil & Styler (available in 14 shades) has a unique paddle-style blending brush and is also waterproof. “I think brows are the MVP of the face,” she says on her Fenty Beauty site. “They really frame your look and make a huge difference. I wanted to make this pencil really easy to create any brow look.”

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: Fenty Beauty | Sephora | Ulta

Fenty Beauty Brow MVP Ultra Fine Brow Pencil & Styler $22

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5. Haus Labs by Lady Gaga The Edge Precision Brow Pencil

BEST AFFORDABLE FINE-TIP PENCIL

Lady Gaga’s beauty brand Haus Labs offers the Edge Precision brow pencil with a superfine tip; a clean, vegan, smudge-proof formulation with vitamin E and coco-glycerides to condition hair and skin; and 13 shades that span warm and cool tones.

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: Haus Labs | Sephora

Haus Labs by Lady Gaga The Edge Precision Brow Pencil in Medium Blonde
Haus Labs by Lady Gaga The Edge Precision Brow Pencil in Medium Blonde

Haus Labs by Lady Gaga The Edge Precision Brow Pencil $22

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6. Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Brow Harmony Pencil & Gel

BEST BROW PENCIL AND GEL COMBO

Only Murders in the Building star and musician Selena Gomez’s beauty line Rare Beauty (which debuted in 2020) includes the no-fuss, triangular-shaped Brow Harmony pencil in eight creamy shades that enhances brows in a sweep, and comes with a bonus tinted brow gel. It’s also vegan, waterproof and paraben-free.

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: Rare Beauty | Sephora

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Brow Harmony Pencil & Gel
Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Brow Harmony Pencil & Gel

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Brow Harmony Pencil & Gel $22

Buy now

7. About-Face Brow Artist Longwear Eyebrow Pencil

BEST AFFORDABLE LONGWEAR BROW PENCIL

This Brow Artist longwear eyebrow pencil from the musician Halsey’s makeup line (launched last year) comes in a range of eight colors. A more affordable option, it is also vegan and waterproof.

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: About-Face | Ulta

About-Face Brow Artist Longwear Eyebrow Pencil $16

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8. Wunderbrow Dual Precision Brow Liner

BEST DOUBLE-SIDED PRECISION BROW PENCIL

Blending the best of both worlds, Wunderbrow’s Dual Precision Brow Liner has a micro-tip on one end and a thicker angled tip on the other. In three shades, it’s a perfect partner to the tinted brow gel, favored by Serena Williams and Hilary Duff.

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: Wunderbrow | Amazon | Verishop

Wunderbrow Dual Precision Brow Liner
Wunderbrow Dual Precision Brow Liner

Wunderbrow Dual Precision Brow Liner $22

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9. Sania’s Brow Bar Angled Mechanical Brow Pencil

BEST FOR NATURAL LOOKS

New York City-based brow pro Sania Vucetaj has been tending to the brows of clients such as Rihanna and Sarah Jessica Parker for over 25 years. Her angled mechanical brow pencil comes in three shades and the proprietary pencil-meets-powder formula achieves a natural look.

Sania's Brow Bar Angled Mechanical Brow Pencil
Sania's Brow Bar Angled Mechanical Brow Pencil

10. Deck of Scarlet Over-Arching Brow Kit

BEST BROW KIT WITH WAX

Available in five shades, clean vegan brand Deck of Scarlet’s new Over-Arching Brow kit contains a brow-perfecting pencil, plus a matching powder and a finishing wax inspired by Old Hollywood brow-setting.

Deck of Scarlet Over-Arching Brow Kit
Deck of Scarlet Over-Arching Brow Kit

Deck of Scarlet Over-Arching Brow Kit $38

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11. Makeup by Mario Master Blade Brow Pencil

BEST PACKAGING

The beauty brand by Mario Dedivanovic (known for his long-time work with Kim Kardashian) includes this vegan Master Blade brow pencil in eight shades with a slide-up pen design that dispenses the perfect amount of product.

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: Makeup by Mario | Sephora

Makeup by Mario Master Blade Brow Pencil
Makeup by Mario Master Blade Brow Pencil

Makeup by Mario Master Blade Brow Pencil $22

Buy now

12. Revitalash Hi-Def Brow Pencil

BEST BUILDABLE FINE-TIP BROW PENCIL

From the brand generally loved by Megan Markle, Revitalash’s Hi-Def brow pencil in three hues is waterproof — making it last even during sweaty summer days.

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: Revitalash | Amazon

Revitalash Hi-Def Brow Pencil
Revitalash Hi-Def Brow Pencil

Revitalash Hi-Def Brow Pencil $30

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13. Thrive Causemetics Infinity Waterproof Eyebrow Liner

BEST VEGAN WATERPROOF

Julianna Margulies and Kelly Clarkson are fans of vegan beauty brand Thrive Causemetics’ Infinity eyebrow liner, which comes in five shades and is waterproof to stay in place while sweating or swimming.

Thrive Causemetics Infinity Waterproof Eyebrow Liner Christina Light Dark Blonde
Thrive Causemetics Infinity Waterproof Eyebrow Liner Christina Light Dark Blonde

Thrive Causemetics Infinity Waterproof Eyebrow Liner $23

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14. Tom Ford Brow Sculptor

BEST CREAM PENCIL

A unique creamy consistency and “calligraphy tip” make Tom Ford’s Brow Sculptor eyebrow pencil in five shades a go-to for many celeb makeup artists. It comes with a refill, so the price can be divided by two.

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: Tom Ford | Nordstrom | Sephora

Tom Ford Brow Sculptor
Tom Ford Brow Sculptor

Tom Ford Brow Sculptor $54

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15. Naturally By Detailed Eyebrow Definer

BEST FOR HAIR-LIKE DETAILING

Another pro brow artist, Stevi Christine, known for her “undone-done brow,” opened a Beverly Hills boutique last year. Her slim, water-resistant Detailed Eyebrow Definer brow pencil (from her cosmetics brand, Naturally By Stevi Christine) has been lauded by the beauty industry for its precise, hair-like effects.

MORE BUYING OPTIONS: Naturally By | Amazon

Naturally By Detailed Eyebrow Definer
Naturally By Detailed Eyebrow Definer

Naturally By Detailed Eyebrow Definer

Buy now

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